Eye of the Storm
by TheAnimeWriterLover
Summary: His wife was unconscious. He didn't know where his brother was. His people were split right down the middle, no thanks to the Berlin Wall. What was Ludwig supposed to do?


"_Liebling _**(1)**, something is going to happen."

His wife, Helene, representative of the capital city Berlin, spoke. Her voice lacked the energy and confidence it always had. Ludwig didn't notice nor showed any evidence of hearing her. His eyes stayed on the paperwork in front of him. One of many that scattered across his desk. His usually neat nature went unused as the whole table was covered by paperwork that went as far as being placed on the ground. It was an utter mess. All of them were about troubles throughout his nation and plans to help recover from the Second World War. There were letters from his brother, Gilbert. Ones that gave suggestions but also voiced concerns. Then there was a whole other stack that covered the nearby couch. Those ones were about the relationships between him and the other nations. The revolts that his citizens created all over the place. The limited supplies that _kept being __**cut off**__ from his people._

Ludwig still didn't answer. He didn't even look up or acknowledge her. By doing so, he didn't notice how fragile and weak the woman sounded and looked. Something that was _so_ out of character, as she was always such a proud and strong woman. One that only became that way through war, battles and struggles.

She didn't say anything more, having noticed. In silence, as if she was nothing more than a ghost, she walked out. The door closed behind her with a soft _click_.

-ooOOoo-

"This can't be happening. _Mein Gott_ **(2) **what have I done?"

Ludwig muttered in horror. He sat in a chair beside a bed with his head in his hands. The person that laid in bed, unconscious, was Helene. Not only that, but he had lost all communication with his brother. Then there was the wall that got built almost overnight that divided the city. And all he got from the Allies was:

"Don't worry about it."

A long exhale escaped his lips as he looked back at the limp form of his wife. It was his fault. This happened because of his stupid pride. It had to be. This happened because he ignored the people in his life, so to focus on his citizens. This happened because he refused to listen.

Now, he was unable to do anything.

"What am I supposed to do now?"

He wondered out loud. His ungloved hand reached out to stroke the woman's pale cheek. Cold skin contrasted his warmth. One could mistake her sleeping form for that of the dead. There was no reaction. Her eyes didn't flutter open to reveal a blue pair. Ones that usually held warmth that she only gave to a special few. The lines of worry and stress smoothed out, like they never existed to begin with.

It pained him. This wasn't supposed to happen. The war wasn't supposed to happen. None of _this_ was supposed to happen. Ludwig wasn't sure anymore who to blame for all the troubles that landed in his lap. There were too many factors that he both knew and had no clue about. There were his feelings about the way the Great War ended. There was the rise of Adolf Hitler, who nobody saw coming. There were the other nations that pushed hard on his people, making life difficult.

It was a mess. Everything was a mess.

Ludwig could only hope that his brother was doing alright on the other side. That he was well and _alive_. He hasn't heard from him in days.

-ooOOoo-

Ludwig wasn't sure how to feel about the Allies. On one hand, they brought the much necessary equipment, food and supplies that his people needed. They even helped with the economy, so his people had jobs.

Yet, they were the major cause of misery for his people. His people were divided. He had spent endless nights on his side of the wall, with his people. All who worked together to help anybody that tried to escape from the Eastern side. All of them were battered, weak, sometimes with broken bones or bleeding heavily. But they always asked the same question once they noticed him and his people.

_"__Am I on the Western side?"_

Once saying yes, the person almost always burst into tears of relief. The numbers of refugees that came over to his side has increased as the years went by. He heard rumours that the Russians put more and more traps in between the walls. They turned out to be true, because of the increased amount of injuries that the refugees had obtained. Gun shots became almost a nightly affair. One time a car ran through the wall. Once he heard that people turned to flying to get them onto his side. There were even tunnels dug from one side to the other. Few escaped that way before the tunnels collapsed on themselves or were closed off. Thus, new ones were created, and the cycle continued.

It was hard to watch. Somehow, compared to past events, Ludwig found this to be more and more horrifying. The German found himself awake most nights. Nightmares and worrisome plagued his dreams. Now, rather than laying on the guest bedroom's bed, he occupied a chair beside another. Helene has yet to wake up. No matter how many days passed, not even a twitch came from her. There were only a few things that gave the blond man any hope of her being alive. She has yet to disappear, thus causing the downfall of his capital city. Then there was the fact that she was still breathing.

Ludwig held her hand in his for hours. One of the few and only things that kept his sanity intact.

The Allies have yet to contact him directly. His only means of know-how was through his boss. His brother's location was yet unknown to him. His wife yet to awaken after several years.

Never has Ludwig felt so alone before.

-ooOOoo-

_"Mister Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"_

The words of the American leader, President Ronald Reagan, rang in many minds. The cheers that left the Western Berlin's citizens boomed so loud and true that it surely has been heard throughout the world. For the first time in almost 3 decades, Alfred finally got in contact with him. Even somehow, in the middle of his personal war against the Russians, he found a way to meet up. It turns out that there were negotiations being with the Eastern side and Ivan about taking down the wall. If not, then at least let people come and go freely. Nothing was finalized.

Ludwig tried not to show too much hope or anger.

Alfred made the whole thing appear like the Americans came to save the German people. Ludwig thought otherwise but didn't say anything.

Yet, the words came true, but in a different way.

No, the wall wasn't torn down, but the negotiations came through. Much to Ivan's fury, the Eastern side's government finally crumbled under the pressure and agreed. The people could finally come and go as they pleased. However, before they could put in their own terms, the people of the Eastern side all but ran towards the wall.

Ludwig could only watch with silence on the evening of November 9th.

At first, it started out as only noises on the Eastern side. His people waited with eagerness on the other side. There were so many that all he saw was an ocean of heads. Then, the gates opened, and the two sides collided. People of the Eastern side pushed each other to get to his side. To their families. To their friends. To anyone that they haven't seen for many years. Great joys echoed through the crowd. People hugged each other as they cried with nothing but tears of joy.

Then Ludwig snapped out of it. His heart hammered in his chest. His hands, within the gloves, sweat with shock, realization, anticipation and nervousness. He looked through the crowd of people in search of one person. The obnoxious white hair should stand out like a sore thumb, but it wasn't there. Doubt of whether his brother was alive entered his mind. With a shaken head of denial, Ludwig dodged people as he walked around.

Gilbert had to be here. He had to be _alive_.

"_Ludwig! West!_"

A voice cried out among the noise. Ludwig's heart stopped. That voice…

"Gilbert!"

He called back as loud as he could. Blue eyes looked around frantically. His body froze in its spot, afraid that if he moves, they'd lose each other.

"Ludwig!"

The voice was much closer now. A long string of curses followed suit. Not a moment too soon, a familiar person popped out of the crowd and almost right into his arms. With a stumble, Ludwig managed to steady the two. When a pair of red and blue eyes met, it felt like the world stopped moving. The blonde nation looked at his brother, with disbelief that he was here. The former nation looked thinner than before the wall was erected. The warn out coat hung off his body in an unflattering manner. It made the younger of the two wonder how they treated his older brother on the other side over the years. Though, he was sure he didn't look any better.

"Ludwig"

Gilbert's voice cracked and his eyes watered. Something that was so unusual of him that it took the blond too longer to figure out what it was. Pair of arms wrapped around the other's body in a tight grip. Almost like they were afraid that the other would disappear if they didn't. Neither said anything else. Pressure built up behind Ludwig's eyes and he didn't bother to fight off the tears that escaped them. Appearances no longer mattered. All that did was that they were reunited.

Neither knew how much time has passed. The world simply continued to go on around them.

Reality snapped into place when the first to pull back was the shorter man. Gilbert looked around before looking at his brother with confusion in his eyes.

"_Bruder_ **(3)**, where's Helene?"

Ludwig froze. His mind raced a mile per second. He left her behind, since she has yet to wake up. It became all too normal to do so that he didn't think twice about it. He kept the house warm, made sure she was comfortable and locked the doors. However, if the people were reunited… could it mean…? His heart began to race at the mere possibility. One of his hands curled around his brother's in a tight grip. Without a word, he raced back to his car. The older of the two barely able to keep up but tried his best. After seeing the reaction and not getting an answer, he wasn't sure what he thought.

The two got into the car and drove off to Ludwig's house.

The trip would usually take an hour long if a logical person drove on normal speed. Too bad that the person wasn't Ludwig right now. He slammed on the gas before the doors were properly shut and they drove off. It took no more than half an hour. During that small trip, the younger nation told his brother of his wife's state. That brought about a long discussion that lasted until they got to the house. When they got into the driveway, the blond man all but flew out of the car and through the front door. Gilbert wasn't far behind.

When they opened the door to the master bedroom, Ludwig almost collapsed onto his knees.

There sat Helene. She leaned against the back of the bed and stared out the window. The darkness of the night seeped clawed its way to every corner and object. One could barely see through it. Yet, there was no denying it. Not when she turned to face them. Her blue eyes shined through the darkness. Ludwig's body moved on its own. Soon, he sat on the edge of the bed. The only thing he could do was stare.

Too many things happened all at once. So many emotions ran through him that his brain shut down to process them properly. He was sure that this was all a dream. A nightmare that mocked him once more that would lead to another sleepless night.

A pair of hands cradled his face with such gentleness that it felt almost foreign. His forehead met another's, which wrinkled with worry.

"What's the matter?"

She whispered with a rough voice. A voice that hasn't been used in almost 3 decades. A voice that he hasn't heard for so long and that he missed.

Ludwig didn't say anything. He couldn't. All he could do was wrap his arms around her smaller figure and held her close. His body shook as his mind finally caught up to the fact that no, this wasn't a dream. This was real. His brother was back. His wife was awake. His people were reunited. His prayers were answered and all he could do was chant mentally his thanks. To God. To anything. To everything.

Ludwig buried his face into Helene's hair and simply cried once more. Another pair of arms circled around their bodies and held them together.

The nightmare has ended. The storm was over.

**(1) Liebling - Darling**

**(2) Mein Gott** **\- My God**

**(3) Bruder - Brother**


End file.
